Slip covers



Dec. 31, 1957 w. J. REAVIS ETAL 2,818,105

,SLIP COVERS Filed Dec. 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -f HIIIIIHIHHQUHUIH;

INVENTORS MILL/HM cl REA V/s ETHEL SGI-IUTTE HTTORNEVS Dec. 31, 1957 w. J. REAVIS ET AL SLIP COVERS 3 Sheets-Sheetr'IS Filed Dec. 15. 1953 I Y I INVENTORS E v RMM MS w Z mm M flTTORNEYS United States Patent G 2,818,106 .SLIP. COVERS William J. Reavis, Indianapolis, Ind., and Ethel Schutte, Baltimore, Md., assignorsto'S. & E. Manufacturing Company, Baltimore, Md.,- a corporation of Maryland Application December'lS, 1953, Serial No. 398,372 10 Claims. (Cl. 155-182) This invention relates to improvements in slip covers for upholstered chairs and the like.

Furniture of the indicated type is made in a variety of styles and sizes and by reason of the 'difierences in the shapes of such furniture in .thcdiiferent styles and the differences in the sizes of any .particularstyle, it is 'difiicult to provide a ready-made slip cover which. will neatly and snugly fit the arm rests, seats and. back portions of all of such styles. In fact, certain styles of chairs and sofas havenever been able to be fitted satisfactorily with the ready-made woven slip'covers heretofore made available by the art, so that owners of such furniture have been obliged to have their slip coversv custom made.

It is the primary purpose of the-present invention to provide an improved ready-made slip cover which is u-niversally adaptable to satisfactorily. fit any one of a num ber of styles of upholstered chairs and the like within a predetermined range of sizes of arm rests, seats and back portions of such chairs and with such. closeness and smoothness as to provide a much better fitthan readymade slip covers have been .so far able to achieve and approaching the perfection of a custom made slip cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readymade slip cover which is so constructed that it can with equal facility smoothly and closely. fit chair arms of many sizes and shapes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a readymade slip cover which can'be readily adusted to fit chair backs and seats of widely varying widths.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved ready-made slip cover'which-while possessing the aforesaid advantages, is of such .simple construction that it may be made economically in large quantities, can be fitted on or removed from a piece of upholstered furniture with a minimum of elfort and can be conveniently laundered by the housewife.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the novel features of construction thereof, will become apparent from a perusal of the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the body of a slip cover made in accordance with the invention and which covers the seat and back of the upholstered article;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the portions of the cover for covering an arm rest of the upholstered article;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the front of an upholstered article to which a slip cover made in accordance with the invention has been applied;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational :view of the article and slip cover shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the article and slip cover shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective View showing the manner in which one feature of the'inven'tion isapplied to a short length chair;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing how such feature would be utilized on a longer chair;

Fig. 8 is a plan view "of one of the panels contained in the body portion of the cover; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view. of the front face panel forming part of the armrest cover.

. Upholstered articles for-which the cover of the instant invention was devised include a back .A, a seat B, and arm rests C and D (note Fig. 3). The cover of thezinstant invention for an article having these components is composed of three parts, namely, a body portion for covering the seat and back of the article, and two arm portions for covering the arm rests of the article. The material utilized in the several parts of the cover'may be an elastic or stretchable material, such as knitted material, or may be a non-stretchable woven fabric suchas chintz, cretonne, linen and the like, or may be a combination of stretchable and non-stretchable fabrics. While in Figs. 3 to 5 of the drawings, the slip cover has been depicted on an upholstered article known as a club chair for the purposes of illustration, it will be understood that the slip cover of this invention is also equally adaptable to cover Lawson, button-back, modern 0, modern S,'wing, Cogswell and T-club types of chairs. Certain modifications in the cover may be required to better'adapt itto certain of such styles, as for instance, the wing chair, but. the essential features of the invention will be present in all 'of such slip covers to obtain a smooth, close fit even though the chair may be large or small, tall or short, or wide or narrow.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to 5 of the drawings, the body portion of the cover is composed of an outside of the back panel 10 of substantially rectangular shape. Panel 10 has a length substantially equal to the height of the tallest chair for which the slip cover .is designed and a width approximately as wide as the width of the narrowest chair back for which the slip coveris designed. The panel 10 is connected by a seam 11 to a panel portion 12 which covers the inside of the chair back above the arm rests C and D thereof. It will be noted in Fig. 1. of the drawings, that the side edges of the panel portion 12 incline outwardly from the seam 11. From the base or lower end of the panelportion 12 the body portion of. the cover includes a panel portion 13, which covers .the inside of the chair back in the region of thearm rests C and D and the seat B of the chair. Panel portion .13 is substantially rectangularly-shaped and has a width substantially greater than the width of panel 10 and sufficient to enable the side edges of such panel portion to be tucked in the spaces between the back A and the arm rests -C.and D, and in the spaces between the seat B and .the arm rests C and D of the widest chair for which the slip .cover was designed. The length of panel portion 13 is greater than the combined height of the tallest chair back for which the cover was designed and the depth of the seat B to pro vide additional material to be tucked .in the space between the back A and seat B, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The side edges of panel .10 and panel portion 12 are provided with lines of welting 14, 14 which extend continuously throughout the combined lengths of such side edges.

At the juncture of panel portions v12 and 13, the material of which such panels are constituted is provided on each side with transverse slits 15, each approximately two inches in length. The entire inner edge of each slit 15 has secured thereto a line of welting 16. Secured to the inner edge of each slit 15 by means of the stitching attaching the line of welting 16 thereto is an elongated substantially rectangularly-shaped piece of-fabr ic 17 similar to the facing material of which the panel portions 12 and 13 are formed. The construction constituting the slits 15, welting 16 and fabric .17 provide an expandable bellows on each side of the body portion at the tops of the arm rests C and D which enable panel portions 12 and 13 to snugly and closely fit the 'inside'backs of articles which may differ at least .four .inches inlength for the particular construction illustrated. 'Themanner .in which such bellows work in applying the cover to an article having a back of short length is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. As shown in such figure, the bellows is expanded so that the welting 16 thereof conforms to the curve of the arm rest C. In such application, the piece of fabric 17 is tucked in the space between arm rest C and the back A. If the back A is still shorter than illustrated, the welting 14 and the bellows will be shifted farther to the left, as viewed in Fig. 6 of the drawings. If the back A of the chair is longer than indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the bellows will take the form indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, with the portion of the fabric 17 at the closed end of the bellows tucked beneath the panel portions 12 and 13. Should the back A be long enough, the expandable bellows will take the form illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. in this application, the slits forming the bellows is completely closed with the two legs of the welting 16 in closed parallel relation and all of the fabric 17 tucked beneath the panel portions 12 and 13.

Secured to the side edges of panel portion 12 by means of the stitches connecting the lines of welting 14, 14 are two panels 20, 20 which together with panel and panel portion 12 form coverings for the ends of the article back. The panels 20, 20 are in effect hinged to the panel por tion 12 and have a width or dimension in the direction of the length of panel portion 12 substantially greater than the width of the ends of the article back A to enable the free side edge portions of such panels to be brought around to the rear of the back. It will be noted in Fig. l of the drawings that the panels 20, 20 are each connected at one end or side to an inclined side of panel portion 12 from the line of welting 16 of an expansible bellows upwardly a distance approximately the height of the back A above the arm rests, and thereafter for the remainder of the height of such panel 20 is free of panel portion 12. The height of each panel 12 is substantially greater than the height of the back A above the arm rests so that the upper free end portion of such panel may be brought over the top surface of the back A at an end thereof. The weltings 16, 16 which edge the slits 15, 15 of the expansible bellows are extended along the lower edges of the panels 20, to the outer side edges of the latter. These extensions of the weltings 16, 16 preferably are inserted into and locked in the spaces between the back A and the tops of the arm rests C, D to lock the lower ends of panels 20, 20 in proper position on the article and to enable the portions of such weltings along the edges of the slits 15, 15 to be adjusted to correct position on a particular chair to be covered.

Secured to the lower edge of panel portion 13 is the upper edge of a panel 21 which is formed to cover the front of the article seat B and to provide extensions to be extended around the sides of the article. As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, panel 21 includes an upper section 22 having a width substantially the same as the width of panel portion 13 and connected at its upper edge to the panel portion 13 by a seam 23. Substantially centrally of its height, panel 21 has two substantially V-shaped cut-outs 24, 24 (note Fig. 8) which separate the upper section 22 from a lower section 25 having a length substantially greater than the length of section 22 and such as to provide two extensions 26, 26 which are drawn over the front faces of the arm rests C and D and around the side surfaces of the article. Connected to the edges FG of panel 21 are lines of welting 27. Connected along one edge to edges EF-G of such panel 21 are elongated substantially rectangularlyshaped strips 28 of a material similar to that of which panel 21 is formed. The outer end edges of strips 28 at the points G underlie and are secured by seams to the end edges of the extensions 26. The other end edge of strips 23 at the points E and the outer side edges of such strips are free. The inner ends of the cut-outs 24 and the welting 27 are spaced apart a distance (the distance F-F) slightly less (approximately one inch) than the length of the smallest seat for which the slip cover was designed, so that the junctures of attachment of the extensions 26, 26 with the main body of the cover is always between the arm rests of the article. This enables the extensions 26, 26 to move relative to the front panels of the arm coverings, as when a person sits on the seat of the article, and to come back to normal position after the weight has been removed from the seat without disturbing the front panels of the arm rest covers. The extensions 26 and the strips 28 enable the panel 21 to satisfactorily cover articles having seats from at least 6 to 8 inches longer than the shortest seat for which the slip cover was designed. In covering the longer seats, the strips 28 cover the exposed portions of the front of the seat and provide tuck-ins for securing panel 21 in proper position on the article. The lower edge of panel 21 is connected by a cord or welting 29 to a skirt panel 39 which extends the entire length of the lower edge of panel 21, so that it is connected to the lower edges of the extensions 26 thereof.

The two coverings for the arm rests C and D of the article are similar in construction so that it is believed a description of one will suffice for both. Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings which shows an arm rest cover for arm rest D, and to Figs. 3 to 5 of the drawings, it will be noted that each arm rest covering is composed of a main irregularly-shaped panel 35 having a vertical portion 36, as viewed in Fig. 2, of a width substantially equal to the length or depth of an arm rest and a height greater than the combined heights of the outer and inner surfaces of an arm rest and the width at the top of such arm rest so that such panel 35 covers the outside portion, the top portion and the inside portion of an arm rest with sufficient material left to be tucked into the space between the seat and arm rest of the article. The panel 35 is also composed of a portion 37 which forms an extension of portion 36, and which has a height greater than the height of the outer surface of an arm rest and a width to enable such portion to be drawn around to the back of the chair in overlapping relation with the outside of the back panel 10, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The top edge of panel portion 37 and the adjacent side edge of panel portion 36 are joined in a smooth curve; the material of the panel in the region of such curve being tucked in the space between the arm rest and the back of the article. Secured to the lower edge of panel 35 by means of a line of welting 33 is a skirt panel 39 having a height the same as skirt panel 31 and a length equal to the combined widths of portions 36 and 37 of such panel 35. Secured to the left hand side edges of panels 35 and 39, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings, which edges define the front edges of the arm rest D, as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings, is a line of welting 40.

The welting 40 between the points HI thereof (note Fig. 2) connects to arm panel 35, a panel 41 for covering the front face of the arm. As shown more clearly in Fig. 9 of the drawings, the connected side of panel 41 is provided with an elongated cut-out which is secured by welting 40 to panel 35 between the points H-l', leaving the upper and lower portions of such connected side edge free from panel 35. Panel 41 has a width substantially greater than the width of the arm rest so that its free side edge may be placed under the front side edge of the part of panel portion 36 which covers the inside surface of the sofa arm, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The upper unconnected portion of panel 41 is adapted to be fitted snugly around the top front edge of the arm rest with the excess material underlying the front side edge of the part of panel portion 36 which covers the top of the arm rest, as is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The lower free or unconnected portion of panel 41 extends below. and is overlapped by an extension 26 of the seat panel 21 and by the skirt 31 thereof. The extension 42 on the lower free portion of panel 41 is drawn around the side edge of the arm restto cover the outside of the arm rest and to'a'iford asliding surface for an extension 26 when thelatter is wrapped around such lower free portion 'of panel 41 and underneath the lower end of the front side edge of the part of panel portion 36 which covers the outside surface of the arm rest, and underneath theskirt panel .39, as'shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that in applying the slip cover to an upholstered article, the armcovers are preferably .first assembled onthe arm rests of the article. In accomplishingv this, each arm cover is placed over the top .of an arm rest, with'the welting 40 at the front of the arm rest and the bottom of skirt panel, 39 just touching the floor. The free side. edges of the panels 41 and the upper free portion of such panels are inserted into the spaces betweenjthe seat and'the arm rests and beneath the front side edge of the parts ofpanel portion 36 which cover the top and inside surfaces of the arms. Panel portions 36 aretfthen drawn smoothly around the arms so that the welting '40 thereof frames'the' front faces of the arm rests. The peculiar shape of panel 41 enables a smooth fitting .and conformanceof panelsi35 and'41, whether the arm rests have aeurved shape asshown in the drawings, are rectangularly-shaped or haveanyother configuration used in the dilferentstyles of chairs. 'On curved arm rests such as shown,the panels '35 and 41 will readily conform to the curvature of such arms. When the armrests are rectangular or otherwise shaped, the upper corner I' and 1th'euupper free portion .of the panel 41 may be' tucked under and manipulated'toobtain a smooth, close conformance to the configuration desired.

The extension '42 of panel 41 as has been previously mentioned, is drawn around the outer "side of the arm rest so that itlies beneath the lower end of panel portion 36 and the skirt 39. The top of panel portions 36 as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings, are then inserted in the spaces between the arm rests and theseats and the other side edge of the panel portions36 and portions of the top edges of the panel portions 37. areinserted in the spaces between the arm rests and the back of, the article. The panel portions 37 of the arm panels 35 are drawn around to the back of the article and secured thereto in any suitable fashion.

The bodyof the cover, is then applied to the article by positioning the extensions26 of panel '21 of such body so that the skirt panel '31 thereof is aligned with the skirt panels 39 of the arm rest covers, and with such extensions inserted through the openings between'the portions 42 of arm panels 41 andj'the lower ends of, panelportions 36 and skirtxpanels 39. The ends of the extensions are secured in this positionin any suitable fashion. With the extensions so located, the strips 28, the ends ofsections 22 of panel 21 and the side'edges of panel portion 13 are tucked in the spaces between the .seat and. the arm rests. The panels 20, 20 and the expandable, bellows arefittedto obtain a smooth fitting, of the, cover on the article. The panels 20, 20 are fitted in a manner similar to that explained with respect to the arm panels 41 and the bellows, fitted in the manner previously explained. Suitable fastening members may be provided to, maintain the panels 20, 20 in their adjusted position. The back panel of the body of, the cover is then fitted over the top and back of the article and over the foldedv back portions of panels 20,. 20 and the panel portions 37 of the arm covers. The panel 10 is then secured in position by suitable fasteners-to hold such panel in adjusted position.

While we have hereinabove described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by-those skilled inthe art. thattvarious changes :and modifications may be made thereinwithoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention orwth'e scope ofsthe appended claims.

We claim: W a i 1. A slip cover for an article ofupholsteredtfurniture ends into upper portions and lower portions, the length of said seat part below the cuts, in the region of the lower end portions, being substantially greater than the length thereof above the cuts, in the region of the upper portions, and such as to enable the lower end portions to extend across said front panels and to be drawn around to the outer sides of the chair arms, and an elongated piece of fabric connected along one longitudinal side edge to the edge of each cut from a point on the lower-edge of an upper portion to a point on the upper edge of a lower portion, said fabric pieces having their other longitudinal and side edges free and being of such width as to cover the ends of chair seats which are longerthan the distance between the cuts.

2. A slip cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the seat part between the inner ends of the cuts has a length less than the shortest seat in the range of chair sizes for which the slip cover is designed, and wherein the length of the seat part above the cuts, in the region of the upper portions, is greater than the largest chair seat for which the cover is designed, so that the free ends of such upper portions maybe tucked inthe spaces between the seat and arms of all chairs in the range of sizes for which the cover is designed.

3. A slip cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein nonstretchable corded weltings are provided on the upper edges of the lower end portions, and including means to secure the ends of such lower end portions under tension to the outer sides of the chair, the welted upper edges and the securing means maintaining such lower end portions in proper positions relative to the front panels, while permitting movement of such portions relative to such front panels when the user of the chair sits down or gets up therefrom.

4. A slip cover for an article of upholstered furniture comprising covering portions for the back, arms and seat of the chair, said arm covering portions including front panels for covering the front faces of the chair arms and main panels for covering the inside and outside surfaces of the chair arms, a side edge of each front panel being connected to the front edge of each main panel and the bottom edge and lower portionof the other sideedge of said front panel being free of said main panel, the lower portion of said front panel having a width greater than the width of the widest chair arm in the range of chair sizes for which the cover is designed, and said seat covering portions including a part adapted to overlie the front face of the chair seat and having ends provided with longitudinally extending cuts dividing such ends into upper portions and lower portions, the length of said seat part below the. cuts, in the region of the lower end portions, being substantially greater than the length thereof above the cuts, in the region of the upper portions, and such as to enable the lower end portions to extend across said front panels and to be drawn around to the outer sides of the chair arms, said connected side edge of each front panel being connected to said main panel upwardly from a point spaced substantially upwardly from the bottom edge of said front panel to provide a free bottom portion, one side of such freebottom' portionforming with the main panel a vertically disposed slitted opening through which a lower portion is drawn to be positioned each cut from a point on the lower edge of an upper portion to a point on the upper edge of a lower portion, said fabric pieces having their other longitudinal and side edges free and being of such width as to cover the ends of chair seats which are longer than the distance between the cuts.

5. A slip cover for an article of upholstered furniture comprising covering portions for the back, arms and seat of the chair, said arm covering portions including front panels for covering the front faces of the chair arms and main panels for covering the inside and outside surfaces of the chair arms, a side edge of each front panel being connected to the front edge of each main panel and the remaining edges of such front panel being free from such main panel, the central portion only of such front panel being connected to the main panel and such central portion being substantially less in width than the free top and bottom portions thereof to form free extensions projecting laterally from a side edge of such front panel and being connected to said main panel along such side edge by a substantially curved edge portion, such extensions being arranged to be drawn around the outer surfaces of the chair arm, and said seat covering portions including a part adapted to overlie the front facelof the chair seat and having ends provided with longitudinally extending cuts dividing such ends into upper portions and lower portions, the length of said seat part below the cuts,

in the region of the lower end portions, being substan tially greater than the length thereof above the cuts, in p the region of the upper portions, and such as to enable the lower end portions to extend across said front panels and to be drawn around to the outer sides of the chair arms, and an elongated piece of fabric connected'along one longitudinal side edge to the edge of eachcut ffoin Y a point on the lower edge of an upper portion to a point on the upper edge of a lower portion, said fabric pieces having their'other longitudinal and side edges free and being of such width as to cover the ends of chair seats which are longer than the distance betweenthe cuts.

6. A slip cover for an article of upholsteredfurniture comprising covering portions for the back, arms and seat of the chair, said arm covering portions including front panels for covering the front faces of the chair arms, and said seat covering portions including a part adapted to overlie the front face of the chair seat and having ends provided with longitudinally extending cuts dividing such ends into upper portions and lower portions, the length, of said seat part below the cuts, in the region of the lower end portions, being substantially greater than the length thereof above the cuts, in the region of the upper portions, and such as to enable the lower end portions to extend across said front panels and to be drawn around to the outer sides of the chair arms, and an elongated piece of fabric connected along one longitudinal side edge to the edge of each cut from a point on the lower edge of an upper portion to a point on the upper edge of a lower portion, said fabric pieces having their other longi tudinal and side edges free and being of such Width as to I cover the ends of chair seats which are longer than they distance between the cuts, and said back covering portions including a front panel having substantially at the line of juncture between the part thereof above the article arms and the lower part thereof, aligned slits extending longitudinally inwardly from the side edges thereof and being of such length that the distance between the inner for articles having backs of different lengths, the inner side edges of the slits being arranged in closed relation on long length article backs and such slits being spread open on short length article backs.

7. A slip cover as claimed in claim 6 wherein an elongated piece of fabric material is connected along one longitudinal side edge to the inside edge of each slit and is tuckable out of sight at the juncture between the back and arms of short length articles and is tuckable out of sight under the upper and lower parts of such front of the back panel when the slip cover is mounted on longer 10 length articles.

8. A slip cover as claimed in claim 6, wherein a pair of end panels for covering the ends of the article back are each'secured along a side edge thereof to a side edge of the .upper part of the frontrof the back panel so that the bottom free edge thereof forms a continuation of the upper inner edge of an associated slit, and wherein a strip of welting is secured to the free bottom edge of each end panel and extends into and is secured to the inside edges of the associated slit to enable the bottom edges of 19 such end panels to be locked in the junctures of the arms and back of the article and to facilitate the proper adjustment of the slits on the article.

9 Asli "jcover for'an article of upholstered furniture comprisin' "coverin portions for the back, arms and seat i I p said arm covering portions including front Jp ane'ls for coveringthe, front facesof the chair arms and 'jmai" panel'sfforcoyering, theinside and outside surfaces .of thefchair 'armga side edge offeach front panel being iconnectd tojthe'front edge, of each main panel and the Qremairiing edges ,of such front pa nelbeing free from such main panel, [the central portion only of such front panel jbeing connected to the main paneltoprovide a free top "portion andfa'freebottom portion,"sa'id free top and hotj tom portions having widthsgreat'er than the central portion of saidffront panel to providefree extensions which I project laterally from theouterside e'dg'e'of said front I face panel and which extend fintof overlapping relation q with. spa ced; free portions oftlie front edge of said main panel on the chair, andsaid seatj' covering portions intb eluding a'part adapted to overlie the front face of the chair seatand having end extensions adaptedto be drawn acrossj the' bottom portions of said front-panels and around to the outer sides ofthe chair arms, said end extensioiisflextending from p'ointswhich definea length less than the shortest seat in the rangeof 'chair sizes for which ,the slip cover is designed, to'points which-define a length ,greateE-thanthe largest seat in the range lof chair sizes .which this slip cojver'is designed,"s'aid freebottorn portions ofsaid front panels forming 'wi'th said main panels vertically disposed slitted openings through which said I extensions may be drawn to be located between the free ,extensions of saidibo'ttom portions and portions of said in'a'in panels Icoveringthe outside surfaces of the chair arms,

lOjA slip cover 'as jc'laimed in claim 9, wherein nonstretchable corded weltings are provided along the upw per andlower edgesofeach end extension from the points which define a lengthfless than the shortest seat in the range of chair sizes fonwhich the slip cover is designed, LBOfto the outer ends iof said end extensions, and including means to secure the ,outer ends ofsaid end extensions unv 'derte'ns'ion:tothejouter sides of the chair arms, said ,welted edges and securing means enabling said end extensions to moverelative to said front panels without substantially U5 disturbing the latter in the use of the cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

